We all have days when negative thoughts about ourselves flood our minds. These intrusive thoughts instantly put us in a bad mood, which seems impossible to avoid. Experiencing days of low self-esteem is totally Ordinary. Remember, you are not your thoughts. But these ten activities will help you deal with a bad confidence day.
1. Acknowledge your feelings
While it may be natural, trying to ignore your negative feelings by distracting yourself isn’t going to help calm your intrusive thoughts. As you’ve probably heard, half the battle is acknowledging how you feel, because that’s the key to overcoming those feelings. You will most likely find it harder to recognize the fact that you are having a low self-esteem day, more so than you might think. But, once you push yourself to do so, you can work to move past those negative feelings.
2. Exercise
It’s understandable not to feel motivated on a bad confidence day. But, to face a day of low confidence, you have at challenge yourself to do things that may seem strenuous and uncomfortable. Taking a brisk walk around your neighborhood or even doing a ten-minute workout will put you in a better mood. Exercise doesn’t have to be strenuous. Even doing yoga or stretching will allow you to move your body in a low impact form.
3. Tomorrow is a new day
Be sure to remember that tomorrow will be a new day, a new beginning. The negative feelings you are experiencing are temporary and will soon pass. Sometimes having a day with low self-esteem will cause you to be more positive and kind to yourself the next day. Also, days of low confidence make you stronger, and being able to overcome negative thoughts and emotions is important.
4. Give yourself a break
A day of low confidence is a day where you have to take time for yourself. Do the things you love, even if it means skipping your to-do list for the day. Remember that you deserve time to unwind and relax. You are human and you have to let yourself be felt. Putting on a fake smile or mask is a temporary change. If you don’t allow yourself to really feel your emotions, the same feelings will come back. So push yourself to feel, and then you can finally move on.
5. Ignore social media
Scrolling through social media for hours will most likely end up making you feel bad about yourself. When you’re trying to get through a bad day of confidence, it’s essential to disengage from activities that make your negative feelings worse. So if you know social media affects your mental well-being, avoiding it for a day might be in your best interest. But, if this is an unrealistic goal for you, challenge yourself to only take a look at the accounts that move you up, not down.
6. Take a soothing shower or bath
Taking a nice hot bath or shower is one of my favorite forms of self-care. Turn on some music, take a deep breath, and enjoy some time for yourself. You can even read a book or a magazine, whichever feels more enjoyable. I love putting on a podcast every time I take a long bath. Whatever you choose to do to relax when you take a bath, push yourself to stay in the present.
7. Think about the aspects of your life that make you happy.
When you find yourself being unnecessarily hard on yourself, think about the aspects of your life that bring you joy. Have you had any recent successes that you are proud of? Did you find your friends a few days ago? Remember that you are not worthless by reflecting on the aspects of your life that bring you happiness.
8. Surround yourself with positive people
Spending time with people who bring you joy is a great way to overcome low self-esteem. But, depending on your personality, spending a low-confidence day alone might be a better bet. Take a moment to understand this you want to do, whether it’s being with friends and loved ones or being alone for the day.
9. Treat yourself like you would treat a friend
Although this is a common saying, it is still important to remember it when you find yourself having a low confidence day. If your friend lacked confidence, what would you say to him? Most likely, you would remind them of the qualities you value in them to make them feel worthy. So I invite you to do the same for yourself. Don’t beat yourself up when you need to treat yourself kindly the most.
10. Remember that no one is perfect
All of our negative self-talk is different. For some, poor body image is a struggle. For others, the feeling that they are not doing enough in their life may be the challenge they are trying to overcome. Whatever your battle, it is essential to remember that nobody is perfect. The person you are comparing yourself to is comparing yourself to someone else. “Perfect” does not exist, and therefore you will always fail to meet society’s standards.
Days of low self-esteem are inevitable. Rather than trying to avoid them, focus on managing them well. Prioritize taking care of yourself and remembering your worth. These ten activities are here to help you get through a bad day of confidence.
